This month Marvel introduces another two new comics. After last month's My Love #1, Marvel has started another romance comic called "Our Love Story". It's in the same anthology style, with three unrelated romance stories in each issue, all of them written by Stan Lee. The same woman, Suzan Lane, hosts both comics. The comics are published alternately in a bi-monthly schedule.
Since the two comics are identical, it could be asked why Marvel didn't publish just one romance comic with a monthly schedule. My theory is that they hoped the comics would be so successful that they could make them both monthly. This never happened. After four years they both turned into reprint magazines.
Among the many comics written by Stan Lee in the 1960's, the romance magazines are barely known curiosities.
The other new comic this month is a horror anthology magazine. It's identical in style and layout to "Tower of Shadows", with each issue containing three unrelated stories by different writers. For instance, in the first issue the stories were written by Stan Lee, Denny O'Neil and Gary Friedrich. It was published for eight issues on a bi-monthly schedule, alternating with "Tomb of Shadows", after which it was renamed "Monsters on the Prowl".
Once more, it can be asked why two identical magazines were published bi-monthly instead of one comic monthly. The answer is the same. Marvel must have hoped the magazines would be popular enough to make them both monthly.
Fantastic Four #91
Title: The Thing Enslaved!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Fantastic Four: Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, Crystal
Villain: Mole Man, Slaver (Skrull)
Regulars: Susan Richards, Alicia Masters, Baby
The Skrull Slaver (who calls himself Slave-Master in this issue) takes the Thing to the planet Kral, on the outer border of the Skrull Galaxy. The society is an imitation of 1930's America. The gang bosses capture beings from all over the universe and let them fight in an arena.
This story is obviously a collage of "Spartacus" (the film) and the Star Trek episode "A Piece of the Action". As such, it's very effective.
And Susan Richards' baby still hasn't been named. It's 11 months and counting.
Amazing Spider-Man #77
Title: In the Blaze of Battle!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Lizard
Guests: Human Torch
Spider-Man begs the Human Torch to leave the Lizard alone, because he doesn't want his friend, Dr. Curt Connors, to be harmed. The Human Torch refuses and continues his attack. Spider-Man does his best to protect the Lizard, but the Lizard reacts by attacking Spider-Man.
Spider-Man tricks the Human Torch into leaving by saying that his spider senses have detected a distress call from the Fantastic Four. Spider-Man finds a barrel of CaCl2 powder, which he instantly recognises as dehydrating powder. What a lucky coincidence! He throws the powder at the Lizard, which doesn't just weaken him, it turns him back into Dr. Connors.
When Dr. Connors returns he calls his son Bobby. Did the change cause memory loss? His son's name is Billy.
This panel from Amazing Spider-Man #76 is the proof.
But no, it's not Dr. Connors who's forgotten his son's name, it's Stan Memory-Like-A-Sieve Lee. If you check this month's comic you'll find that Spider-Man gets his name wrong as well.
Captain America #118
Title: The Falcon fights on!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Red Skull, Exiles (General Ching, Iron Hand Hauptmann, Cadavus, Gruning, Krushki, Baldini), AIM
Regulars: Falcon, Rick Jones
Captain America, still in the Red Skull's body, trains Sam Wilson to fight better as a costumed super-hero called the Falcon. Together they attack and defeat the Exiles.
AIM is attempting to find a way to remove the Cosmic Cube's power.
The Red Skull, still in Captain America's body, watches Captain America and the Falcon from afar and prepares to attack.
Rick Jones is angry after being rejected by Captain America, not knowing it was the Red Skull in his body. He says he no longer wants to be Captain America's partner.
Captain Marvel #17
Title: And a child shall lead you
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gil Kane
Villain: Red Skull, Yon-Rogg
Regulars: Carol Danvers (illusion)
Guests: Rick Jones, Jarvis
Flashbacks: Hulk, Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man
Roy Thomas takes over as the writer in this issue, and he takes the series in a bold new direction. It could be argued that the series was ahead of its time, because the sales slumped so badly that the series was cancelled two months later. Or maybe it's more accurate to say that the series was suspended, because it was revived six months later.
The story is wrapped around this month's Captain America #118. Captain Marvel #17 page 4 covers the same events as Captain America #118 page 12. That's clever coordination between Stan Lee and Roy Thomas.
The Red Skull, in Captain America's body, strikes Rick Jones, so he quits as his partner. The Supreme Intelligence of the Kree uses illusions to lead him to a cave where there's a pair of Nega Bands identical to the ones that Captain Marvel put on last issue. Captain Marvel, who's floating in the Negative Zone, can now talk to him. When Rick slams the bands together, the two of them swap places.
Yon-Rogg has been searching for Captain Marvel. They battle briefly, and Yon-Rogg flees. Captain Marvel wants to pursue him, but Rick Jones asks to be let out of the Negative Zone. Teenagers get bored when they're floating through space.
It's noticeable that Captain Marvel has now become similar to the DC hero Shazam, who was originally called Captain Marvel. It's a teenage character who becomes an adult super-hero. I'm sure that Roy Thomas did this intentionally.
Iron Man #18
Title: Even heroes die!
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artist: George Tuska
Villain: Midas, Madame Masque, Morgan Stark, Tony Stark LMD, Hydra
Regulars: Jarvis, Janice Cord
Guests: Avengers (Captain America, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Vision, Goliath), Nick Fury
The splash page shows Iron Man fighting alongside Nick Fury and Captain America. This comic is slightly out of sync. It takes place after next month's Captain America #120. However, it isn't really Iron Man, because Tony Stark's LMD is inside the armour.
Midas has captured the real Tony Stark, believing him to be a double. He asks him to impersonate Tony Stark to bring the Stark factories under control. Madame Masque gives Tony Stark combat training, and it's no surprise that he's soon ready.
Madame Masque and Tony Stark break into Stark Industries, where they're challenged by the LMD in Iron Man's suit. Tony Stark retrieves his old bulky armour, which he stopped using in Tales Of Suspense #48, apart from using it briefly in Tales Of Suspense #65. The old armour is inferior, but Tony Stark's superior fighting skills help him to win the battle. The security guards call the Avengers, who arrive just in time to see Tony Stark win the battle and remove his helmet to reveal who he is.
Tony Stark collapses, and his heart almost stops beating. The Avengers fly him back to New York City to get medical care for him.
Madame Masque falls for Tony Stark's charm and falls in love with the man she considers to be an anonymous doppelganger.
The Avengers #69
Title: Let the game begin
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Sal Buscema
Avengers: Captain America, Thor, Goliath, Vision, Yellowjacket, Wasp, Black Panther, Iron Man (unconscious)
Villain: Kang, Growing Man, Grandmaster, Squadron Sinister (Hyperion, Nighthawk, Whizzer, Doctor Spectrum)
After rescuing him in this month's Iron Man #18, the Avengers leave Tony Stark to receive medical treatment in a hospital. Unknown to them, there's a doll in his hospital ward. The Wasp picks it up, and it begins to grow. It's the Growing Man, who battled with Thor in Thor #140. The Growing Man carries Tony Stark outside, pursued by the Avengers. A ray from the sky carries the Avengers into the 40th Century, where Kang the Conqueror is waiting for them. First they attack him, but then the Black Panther appears and tells them Kang needs their help.
A year previously a being of great power called the Grandmaster visited Kang and told him he wanted to play a game. If Kang wins, he would be given the power to revive his lover Ravonna, who's been dead since Avengers #24. (As a time traveller Kang could easily undo her death, but it hasn't occurred to him because he's not as smart as me). If the Grandmaster wins, the Earth will be destroyed. Kang was told he had one year to pick four warriors.
Out of the assembled Avengers he now chooses Captain America, Thor and Goliath. A fourth warrior has not yet been named. The Grandmaster's warriors are a group called the Squadron Sinister, who are a direct copy of DC Comics' Justice League of America.
Hyperion is a copy of Superman. Nighthawk is a copy of Batman. The Whizzer is a copy of the Flash. Doctor Spectrum is a copy of the Green Lantern.
This is the last comic which uses the title "The Mighty Avengers". It was only used for eight issues, from Avengers #62 to Avengers #69.
Thor #169
Title: The Awesome Answer!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Villain: Galactus, Thermal Man
Regulars: Odin, Balder, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg
Guests: Watcher
Wow! That's a fantastic cover by Jack Kirby this month!
Galactus continues to tell Thor about how he came to be. Untold ages ago he lived on a highly advanced planet called Taa. The people of Taa knew they would perish from a plague spreading across the universe. Their planet was destroyed, but five survivors escaped in a spacecraft. They set the controls for the heart of the largest sun in the universe for no apparent reason apart from having a spectacular death that nobody would ever know about. Four of them were killed as the spacecraft approached the sun, because that's what suns do. The fifth was imbued with great power, and the craft changed course and flew through the universe with the survivor unconscious on board.
When the craft finally crash-landed on a distant planet, the Watcher found him. Obviously the plague had stopped by now. The Watcher watched while the being recovered. He sensed the danger and felt tempted to destroy the being, but he controlled himself and just watched. The being built himself a new space ship and designed himself a new costume with a big letter G on his chest. Galactus was born.
Thor wants to attack Galactus, but Odin intervenes and takes him back to Earth. Odin was listening and now knows all he needs to know about Galactus. The battle will take place another day. For now, Thor is needed to aid Balder and the Warriors Three in their battle against the Thermal Man.
Daredevil #57
Title: In the midst of life!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Gene Colan
Villain: Death's Head
Regulars: Foggy Nelson, Karen Page
Daredevil is dressed in Death's Head's costume and tied to a runaway horse. He manages to control the horse just enough to avoid the police's gunshots. He tells the police to pull off the mask, which reveals that he's Daredevil.
Daredevil returns to the Page mansion. He finds a hidden laboratory where Death's Head is working. He's really Karen Page's father, who has gone mad because of cobalt radiation. Karen Page witnesses the battle. A vat of molten liquid is about to pour over Karen, so Death's Head sacrifices himself to save her.
At the funeral of Karen's father, Daredevil removes his mask to reveal that he's Matt Murdock, the man she loves.
Sub-Mariner #18
Title: Side by side with Triton!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Marie Severin
Villain: Kormok, Dynorr the Stalker
Regulars: Dorma, Vashti
Guests: Triton
Prince Namor is being transported through space by creatures who want to steal the Earth's water.
Namor has been captured because he is a being who has both gills and lungs, which work alternately. The aliens think that by studying him they can modify themselves into a similar duality.
The Inhuman Triton is also on the ship. Sub-Mariner frees him, and together they defeat the aliens. At the end they're transported back to the Earth. When they arrive, Namor discovers that his gills have stopped functioning, so he can now only survive on land.
The Incredible Hulk #120
Title: On the side of the evil Inhumans!
Writer: Stan Lee, Roy Thomas
Artist: Herb Trimpe
Villain: Maximus, Aireo, Falcona, Leonus, Nebulo, Stallior, Timberius
Regulars: General Ross, Major Talbot, Betty Ross
The Hulk aids Maximus and the evil Inhumans in fighting against the US army, not knowing that Maximus intends to kill him afterwards.
Betty Ross has stowed away in the plane carrying her father and Glen Talbot. The Hulk leaps up to destroy the plane, but he spares it when he sees Betty's face at the window, and he lets it land with only slight damages.
The Hulk realises that the Inhumans are his enemies and attacks them. Maximus and the other Inhumans flee in a flying vehicle. General Ross attempts to call an air strike on the Hulk, but he flees unharmed.
X-Men #61
Title: Monsters also weep!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Artist: Neal Adams
X-Men: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Beast, Iceman
Villain: Sauron (Dr. Karl Lykos)
Regulars: Alex Summers, Lorna Dane
First the Angel, then the other X-Men challenge Dr. Lykos in his new form as Sauron. He begins to change back to human form when he expends too much power. He hypnotises the Angel and makes him carry him back to his laboratory, where Alex Summers, Lorna Dane and his fiancee Tanya are waiting. The X-Men don't realise he's their enemy, so they thank him for curing Alex.
Dr. Lykos absorbs Lorna's powers and becomes Sauron again. The X-Men return and Sauron flees. Only Tanya knows where he has gone, so she follows him alone. He's realised that he's becoming evil, so he wants to isolate himself from human energy sources and dies. When he sees Tanya approaching he's afraid that he'll feed on her, so he kills himself by leaping off an icy cliff.
Silver Surfer #9
Title: To steal the Surfer's soul!
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Buscema
Villain: Mephisto, Flying Dutchman (Joost van Straaten)
The Silver Surfer battles the Flying Dutchman, who has been given great power by Mephisto, Stan Lee's version of the Devil. The Dutchman tells the Silver Surfer that he will only stop taking innocent human lives if he pledges his soul to Mephisto. The Silver Surfer stops him harming others, but he can't defeat him because he's too powerful. Eventually the Silver Surfer's goodness overwhelms the Flying Dutchman, and he refuses to fight any more. Mephisto says that he'll banish him to Limbo for all eternity. The Silver Surfer feels his anguish and begins to cry. The only thing that can save a lost soul from Limbo is a tear shed for him, so he finally finds peace.
Other comics published this month:
Millie the Model #175 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Mad About Millie #4 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Chili #6 (Stan Lee, Stan Goldberg)
Our Love Story #1 (Stan Lee, John Buscema)
Rawhide Kid #72 (Larry Lieber, Larry Lieber)
Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #71 (Gary Friedrich, Dick Ayers)
Chamber of Darkness #1 (Stan Lee, John Romita)
Note: The Incredible Hulk annual released this month contains reprints only.
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